Hera's Core Module hosts its onboard computer, mission systems, and instruments.
Hera will measure the mass and composition of Dimorphos and the larger Didymos asteroid.
The mating of Hera's modules was completed over a three-hour period.
Hera will perform a close-up survey of the crater left by the DART mission on the Dimorphos asteroid.
Complete mating of Hera's modules was exhaustively simulated in advance using CAD software.
Hera is Europe's contribution to an international planetary defense experiment.
ESA's Hera spacecraft has been mated together as a single unit for full-scale testing.
Hera is scheduled to lift off in October 2024.
Hera's Core Module was raised more than 3 meters above its Propulsion Module during the mating process.
Hera will be transported to the ESTEC Test Centre in the Netherlands for a full-scale environmental test campaign.
Hera's Propulsion Module incorporates propellant tanks, piping, and thrusters for deep space travel.
Hera will carry two smallsats named Juventas and Milani, which are Europe’s first deep-space CubeSats.
Hera's Core Module was raised more than 3 meters above the Propulsion Module during the mating process at OHB Bremen in Germany.
Hera must lift off in October 2024 to rendezvous with Dimorphos to maximize working time.
The mating of Hera's modules was completed when the tip of the Propulsion Module cylinder met the top deck of the Core Module.
Hera's mission is a European contribution to an international planetary defense experiment.
ESA's Hera mission for planetary defense has been fully assembled following the mating of its Core Module and Propulsion Module.
Hera will perform a close-up survey of the crater left on Dimorphos by the DART mission's impact.
Hera's mission will measure the mass and makeup of both Dimorphos and the larger Didymos asteroid.
ESA contracted a Falcon 9 launch from SpaceX for the Hera asteroid mission in 2024.